Breaking big on his 66th - David Bowie ends the long silence with the release of new music

January 9th, 2013

What a better way to celebrate your birthday than by dropping a fresh new track. That’s exactly what English rocker David Bowie did to celebrate his big 66. On the early hours of January 8, “Where Are We Now?” was released as an exclusive across the iTunes Store in 119 countries.

Although he’s been away from some time, it’s clear that retirement is not part of Bowie’s plan just yet, as many had speculated. Instead, he stunned the world with today’s release of his new gem that, according to Columbia Records, seemed to “appear out of nowhere.” It’s even better that the song is just a sample of what’s to come from Bowie’s promised new album. Titled “The Next Day, the album will be his 30th studio recording, and his first in ten years. His last album, “Reality” was released in 2003. The staggered release of “The Next Day” will arrive first in Australia on March 8, followed by the rest of the world (excluding the U.S.) on March 11. It will be available in the U.S. on March 12.

Bowie sought out long-term collaborator Tony Visconti to handle production duties. “Where Are You Now” can be described as a melancholic tune telling Bowie’s story of the time he spend in Berlin during the 1970s. Accompanying the song is a unique video featuring black-and-white footage of the city when it was still divided. In it, Bowie is seen peering in on the auto repair shop beneath his old apartment; other footage flashes details of the capital’s bleak landscape of the past.

There is no word yet, though, on whether or not Bowie will tour in support of the album.

Below is the tracklist for “The Next Day album:

The Next Day:
1. The Next Day
2. Dirty Boys
3. The Stars (Are Out Tonight)
4. Love is Lost
5. Where Are We Now?
6. Valentine’s Day
7. If You Can See Me
8. I’d Rather Be High
9. Boss of Me
10. Dancing Out in Space
11. How Does the Grass Grow?
12. (You Will) Set the World on Fire
13. You Feel So Lonely You Could Die
14. Heat